Save The Last Dance
by Space Kase
Summary: Previously 'White Winter' on my old account. Oneshot . An old romance reaches a new chapter...and a new one is just beginning. TailsxAmy mentions of SonicxSally. SatAMbased with Archie and Sega tossed in.


The third and final (and personal favorite) of my old fic collection. Not a lot, is it?

This wasn't one of my more popular stories- it got 2 reviews. BUT I APPRECIATED THOSE TWO REVIEWS WITH EVERY CENTIMETER OF MY STONY ICE-COLD HEART THANK YOU VERY MUCH. And anyway, I think this one is short and sweet, which was what I was goin' for.

The main coupling here is TailsxAmy (...no, seriously), with traces of SonicxSally. The fic itself is SatAM-based, but with a bit of SEGA and Archie thrown in, for no reason other than that I'm stubborn.

So many characters I love. So much screwed-up characterization that I've attempted to fix but probably haven't.

Okay, enough rambling. Get on readin', ya lousy kids. (To those of you older than sixteen, feel free to get on my case.)

Oh, one more thing- I've changed Amy's eye color from green to brown here, 'cause that's the eye color she has in the Fleetway comics, and that's my favorite interpretation of her. I think I'll try writing for her one day. Okay, yeah, now I'm REALLY done. Really.

* * *

Winter in Knothole was always a joyous occasion. 

"Joyous" was too mild a word for what Amy Rose, now fourteen years of age, felt, standing on the front porch of Knothole's main hall, as she watched the delicate crystals seemingly float from the stormy-looking clouds above. Even in the dark, they were visible.

She sighed, and in the dim light of the porch light, she saw it cloud around her muzzle. She grinned, and looked behind her. She could see the silhouettes of people dancing, chattering, and having a good time in the windows. And why shouldn't they have been? Their leader, their soon to be queen, and their hero, the Speed Demon of Mobius, had finally joined in nuptial union.

The corners of her lips tilted upwards, impossible it may have seemed. The wedding, of course, had been a blast. According to Bunnie, it wasn't nearly as big as it would have been under different circumstances, but to young Amy, who had grown up in less-than-questionable conditions before she'd come to Knothole, the very notion was unfathomable. The actual wedding had set everyone on edge, up until Sonic had placed the ring on his bride's slender, tiny finger, and the vows were said. The guests- everyone who lived in Knothole, and a couple others from neighboring Freedom Fighter groups and villages- couldn't help themselves any longer, and had erupted in cheers when the young lovers' lips touched. Amy had been among them.

As with any wedding, it was the reception that everyone had been looking forward to, and with good reason. Everyone had contributed something or other to make the occasion memorable. Hamlett, an apprentice Freedom Fighter, had been placed in charge of the buffet, which included fruits, cakes, pies, various bean dips, and of course, a plate of Sonic's favorite chili dogs, Bunnie, Tails, and Antoine had hung decorations and helped keep clean, and a group of struggling musicians who'd gotten together with instruments that looked crude (sources, after all, were very scarce in the forest), but sounded decent, all thanks to Rotor. Griff, of the Underground Freedom Fighters, and Dulcy had been put in charge of the lighting effects.

All this, together, had brought together a blur of dancing, music, and colors to the young hedgehog's eyes and mind, almost intoxicating, filling her to the brim. Even so, one can only dance for so long, and hours later, Amy, panting and exhausted, had to step outside to catch her breath.

Today had been a wonderful day. That much was true, and she was positive that she'd get the same answer out of anyone in the Main Hall right now. Even so, there seemed to be a part of her, deep inside, that was missing. It was a small part, to be sure, otherwise she'd have noticed it earlier. Still, it had been bothering her.Overall, the situation was similar to when one attains a fresh cut. It's an easy thing to forget, but one is forcibly reminded when he bumps it against something, and the sting is once again felt. At times, this happens multiple times through the day.

In a similar manner, Amy would forget about the "ache", so to speak, for a good portion during the day…and them something would happen, and she'd feel it again, and there it would be, nagging at the back of her mind.

This was the first time she'd ever felt like this, and she had to wonder what was causing it. Perhaps it had to do with her hero's wedding? She shook this notion off instantly. True, she'd had a childhood crush on him about four years ago, but then again, he'd saved her from the rapids. A young, impressionable child is bound to adore the person who saved him from certain death, isn't he? Anyway, Sonic and Sally were both good friends to her, and both were dear to her heart. It was obvious they made each other happy.

No, it had to be something else. But what?

"Amy?"

The rose-colored hedgehog spun on her heels (secretly marveling at the fact that she didn't fall flat on her little black nose). Standing in the doorway was Tails, in all his glory. Her cheeks lit up at the sight of her old friend. She wasn't sure what it was about him, but he was always able to bring a smile to her face.

"What're you doin' out here? The party's inside," he stated in his simple way. Amy shrugged. "Just catching my breath." She decided not to tell him that that's what she'd come out here to do about half an hour ago.

The kit made his way to her, resting his elbows on the ledge, and turning his head so as to speak to her. No, wait-he wasn't a kit anymore. He was a teenager now, too. As was she. It suddenly dawned upon Amy that she and Tails, commonly known as Knothole's youngsters in the past, were growing up. She wasn't sure what to feel on that fact, so she shoved it to the side, perhaps to mull over some other inopportune time.

The fox scratched a spot behind his ear, and looked down. If Amy had looked, perhaps she'd have seen the rosy tinge behind the white fur. "Um…you were great. Earlier, I mean."

Amy beamed. For reasons unknown to her, Sally had asked her to be one of the bridesmaids at the wedding. She still wore the powder blue ensemble, complete with a nice white sweater and a pair of flower-embroidered sandals (though she'd have to trade them in for her winter boots, if it snowed any harder). "Thank you, Tails! Rosie really outdid herself, you know? How she managed to get matching dresses for Bunnie, Mina and I, I'll never know. Not very weather-resistant, though-" "No. I mean, after. You're…a really good dancer."

At this point, Amy noticed more than she probably should have. He seemed to find his gloved hands (he'd replaced his usual ones with far dressier ones with gold cuff links, she noticed) very interesting, and his ears were twitching to and fro, a sure sign of his discomfort. "Thank you, Tails. That's very sweet of you." Almost involuntarily, she scooted closer to him. "Is everything all right? You're acting a little…out of it." The words were barely out of her mouth before she mentally slapped herself in the forehead. Tails had been the best man in the wedding. Of course he'd be behaving oddly- his best friend had just been married!

"Yeah…Yeah, I'm okay." And for the first time, he looked directly into her eyes, twinkly blue meeting deep brown. Amy's breath suddenly caught in her throat. "Amy, I've been thinking…you know…Sonic and Sally have had this…thing…for a while now, right?" "Yeah…since I can remember…" Tails, in the past four years, had grown quite attractive. Soft, tawny baby fur had been replaced by a thick, glossy coat of rust-orange and ice-white. His facial structures had strengthened, and were starting to mature. Of course…those eyes had remained the same. Eyes she could stare into for ages…

"Well…how long have we known each other?"

And before she knew it, his lips were pressed against hers. Softly, but enough to acknowledge. Her eyes widened, before closing entirely. Before the moment was over, the girl's arms wound themselves around the fox's neck, and Tails' hands found the small of Amy's back, even through the sweater.

And just like that, it was over. Tails fidgeted rapidly, pressing his fingertips together, reaching back to scratch at a nonexistent itch. "Oh Mobius, Amy, I'm sorry, I don't know what I was thinking…I shouldn't have done that…I should've-"

The second kiss, initiated this time by the girl, was no less magical. This one was firmer, enough to taste the sweet punch he'd been sipping earlier. All the while, her small gloved hands cupped his cheeks. Her heart soared as she felt a finger awkwardly, but delicately move a curled bang out of her eyes.

This one lasted about half as long as the first, but as far as Amy was concerned, was far too short. Even so, seeing the rosy flush around the boy's muzzle and the half-lidded eyes was enough to make up for it.

"So…we're cool?" Tails' tone was tentative, but hopeful. Much like how he treated the rest of his life. It wasn't until this very instant that Amy decided she loved that about him. The best response she could give was a giggle; all words had left her.

That is, until a draft sent her skirt billowing over hers and Tails' legs. "It's getting cold…" she murmured, instinctively moving closer to her fox. Said fox was happy to oblige; his arms wrapped around her waist, and both were pleased to feel instant warmth.

"Should we…go inside? We could…dance together…If you wanted to."

Amy nodded, stepping away-only for a second, of course- and taking his hand. As they floated back into the Main Hall to share their first dance, Amy Rose, for the first time since she could remember, felt complete.


End file.
